Nanotech might make possible clear, instant communications across great distances. And there are obvious benefits to that. Progress in information technology also has the potential to help humanity in less direct ways. That's according to Harvard chemist George Whitesides

George Whitesides: A lot of our energy consumption is, in a certain sense, optional. That is, we choose to fly for a business meeting to San Francisco, or we choose to ship goods from place to place. And one of the important jobs … that nanotechnology will do will be to extend yet further the revolution in information technology that makes it possible to ship information rather than people or things.